A recent study suggests that people who donate blood regularly may have genetic changes in their blood that could in fact reduce the risk of developing cancer. It is conducted by the researchers at the Francis Crick Institute, and the study has now provided new insights into how and why blood cancers develop. The study is published in the journal Blood and was conducted by the scientists from Heidelberg and the German Red Cross blood donation center. There is yet a need for further research to confirm these findings.

What Did The Study Find?

The researchers examined the blood of two groups of healthy male donors in their 60s:

• One group had donated blood three times a year for 40 years.
• The other group had donated only about five times in total.

The goal was to analyze genetic mutations in their blood and assess whether frequent donation had any impact on their genetic makeup.

How Can Blood Donation Affect Stem Cells?

As and when people age, their blood and other cells naturally develop mutations and some of them can also increase the risk of cancer. When anyone donates blood, his or her body compensates by producing new blood cells, which can influence the genetic diversity of stem cells in the bone marrow. The study also found that both groups had a similar number of mutations. For instance the frequent donors had 217 mutations, while the irregular donors had 212 mutations.

However, the nature of these mutations differed. In the frequent donors, 50% of the mutations were of a type not associated with a high risk of blood cancers, compared to only 30% in the irregular donors.

Further laboratory analysis showed that these specific mutations behaved differently from those linked to leukemia, a type of blood cancer. When human blood stem cells with these mutations were injected into mice, they were found to be highly effective at producing red blood cells, which is considered a positive outcome.

Dr. Hector Huerga Encabo, one of the study authors, emphasized that these mutations do not indicate an increased risk of leukemia. The findings suggest that regular blood donation may influence how stem cells evolve, but whether this translates into a lower cancer risk remains uncertain.

Read More: Who Can Donate Blood To Whom?

Limitations

One notable disadvantage is the "healthy-donor effect"—because blood donors are often healthier than the general population, their lower cancer risk could be unrelated to blood donation.

Dominique Bonnet, senior researcher and head of a stem-cell laboratory at the Francis Crick Institute, stressed the need for larger studies with female volunteers to confirm the findings.

Despite ongoing research into potential health benefits for donors, the primary goal of blood donation remains saving lives. NHS Blood and Transplant emphasized that while the study is interesting, further research is required to draw firm conclusions. The organization also noted that blood supplies are currently critically low and encouraged eligible individuals to donate.

Also Read: How Long After a Tattoo or Piercing Can I Donate Blood?

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common but often overlooked gastrointestinal disorder; as a result, IBS is very prevalent, with less than 15% being diagnosed.

Individuals frequently experience recurrent symptoms such as bloated abdomen, abdominal pain, gas, diarrhea, or constipation, and normalize these symptoms over time or attribute them to "something they ate" or everyday stresses. Therefore, IBS remains undiagnosed for many years.

Why Diagnosis Is Often Delayed

One reason for this delay in being diagnosed is that the symptoms occur intermittently. It is also important to note that the presentation of these symptoms is inconsistent and unpredictable; there may be episodes where the IBS can last many days, and then completely resolve, thus providing a false sense of relief. Therefore, many individuals choose to delay consulting with a physician due to their belief that the symptoms they are experiencing are not serious.

Stigma Around Digestive Health

Another contributing factor is that there is still a degree of reluctance or discomfort associated with discussing problems related to the gastrointestinal tract openly; this only further complicates under-reporting statistics.

A ‘Functional’ Disorder Adds to Confusion

Finally, IBS is a functional disorder. Therefore, routine diagnostic testing will not reveal any visible abnormalities. Many patients may assume that the symptoms they are experiencing are not "real" or are not significant enough to warrant seeking medical attention, even though the discomfort they experience can be quite significant and affect their daily lives.

If you continually ignore symptoms of IBS, it will hurt your quality of life, productivity, and mental health. If you have persistent discomfort, you are likely to develop anxious feelings about eating, socializing, and travelling. Furthermore, if you don't manage your symptoms, you may experience a combination of untreated IBS with one or more other illnesses that are either gastrointestinal or metabolic; consequently, establishing the correct diagnosis for your IBS will be increasingly difficult as time goes on.

Why Early Action Matters

It is of the utmost importance to identify and respond to early warning signs of IBS as quickly as possible. A thorough evaluation can rule out other illnesses and provide a pathway for appropriate management, including dietary modifications, stress management techniques, and, if necessary, medical treatment.

Once you address your IBS, you will experience better control of your symptoms and eliminate the long-term consequences of IBS, both physically and psychologically.

Colorectal Cancer is not only one of the most common and deadly cancers, but is also one of the most preventable ones.

Unlike many other cancers, patients have a clear window of opportunity to stop it before it even begins. Almost always, these cancers start as small growths called polyps or precancerous lesions on the inner lining of the colon or rectum.

There is a long interval of time before polyps develop into cancer. During this time, they can be removed if they are identified. If a doctor removes a precancerous polyp during a routine screening, they would not only have nipped the cancer in the bud, but would have also prevented it from occurring.

However, there is a persistent taboo surrounding discussing bowel movements and other risk factors, and public understanding of its symptoms and crucial screening procedures frequently lags.

Dr Jeremy Clark, a consultant general surgeon specializing in colorectal diseases at Nuffield Health in Brighton, has underscored five critical warning signs the public must recognize, The Independent reported.

1. Blood in stool

“Passing blood when you go to the toilet is a worrying feature that you should flag to your GP,” Clark said, adding that the color can vary from bright red to almost black.

“If you see blood in the stools, particularly darker-colored blood or blood that’s actually mixed in with the stools, just once, and it’s significant, that should be reported to your doctor straight away. Don’t wait for that to keep on happening,” he added.

2. Changes in Bowel Habits

Dr. Clark stated that although more constipation may not be a risk factor, any sudden changes in bowel movements that last for a couple of weeks and do not go back to normal must be checked.

“If your bowels go from working once a day like clockwork, and then suddenly you’re going two or three times a day, and the bowels are a bit looser, that’s something that needs to be looked into,” the expert added.

3. Abdominal pain

Dr Clark highlighted that bowel cancers can cause abdominal pain, even in the initial days.

4. Bloatedness

The feeling of being 'quite often’ bloated may also indicate that something is going wrong in the bowel, Dr. Clark said.

5. Unexplained weight loss

Bowel cancers can impact digestion and cause weight loss

Dr Clark said that as these symptoms are common with other conditions, such as hemorrhoids or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), people often ignore or easily dismiss these symptoms. He urged patients not to ignore and visit their doctor if they notice any of these symptoms.

Also read: US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Stalls 600M Global Vaccine Aid For Poor Nations: Report

What Is Colorectal Cancer?

The American Cancer Society notes that colorectal cancer is a cancer that starts in the colon or the rectum. Colorectal cancer impacts around 1.9 million people every year, noted the World Health Organization (WHO) as per its 2022 data.

It is a disease of the large bowel and a type of cancer that originates from the rectum or colon. A person's colon, cecum, rectum, and anus make up the large intestine.

According to experts, if you are above 45 years of age or have high-risk factors, you need to take the initiative to be screened.

The FIT (Fecal Immunochemical Test) is a simple, non-invasive at-home stool test kit that can collect a small sample of your feces, which can then be tested.

“If it comes back as positive, that means there is blood in your stools which needs to be investigated,” Clark said, adding that the next step is typically the Colonoscopy – the gold standard.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is often mentioned in conversations around mental health, yet its depth and practical relevance are not always fully understood. Rooted in the connection between thoughts, emotions, and behaviours, CBT offers a structured way to recognise patterns, question unhelpful narratives, and respond with greater awareness. Rather than offering quick fixes, it equips individuals with tools that can be applied in everyday situations, making it both accessible and effective. Here’s a closer look at what truly defines CBT and how it works in real life. Aanandita Vaghani, Founder and Mental Health Counsellor at UnFix, listed the five key things everyone must know before considering CBT.

1. CBT isn’t about “positive thinking”: This is the biggest misunderstanding. CBT doesn’t ask you to think happy thoughts or gaslight yourself out of pain. It asks you to slow down your thinking and notice patterns you’ve been running on autopilot. What this really means is learning to catch the story your mind tells before it becomes your mood, your reaction, or your identity.
2. It works because it’s grounded in real life: CBT is practical by design. We’re not just exploring why something hurts; we’re looking at what you do next. CBT gives language and structure to experiences people already have but can’t name yet.
3. It’s collaborative, not prescriptive: Good CBT isn’t a therapist handing out rules. It’s a joint investigation. We test thoughts together. We check assumptions against evidence. We experiment gently, not force change. What matters is not “Is this thought wrong?” but “Is this thought helping me live the life I want?” That nuance is often missed, and it’s where CBT actually becomes humane.
4. The goal isn’t control. It’s a choice: People often worry CBT is about controlling emotions. It’s not. It’s about widening the gap between trigger and response so you have options. You may still feel anxious, sad, or angry, but you’re less hijacked by it. It’s the difference between reacting from fear and responding with intention.
5. CBT works best when it’s integrated, not isolated: CBT is powerful, but it’s not meant to exist in a vacuum. In practice, it works best when combined with body awareness, emotional processing, relational context, and compassion. Thoughts don’t float alone; they live in nervous systems, histories, and relationships. That’s why modern therapy doesn’t ask “CBT or not?” It asks, “How do we use CBT wisely?”

At its core, CBT is not about eliminating difficult thoughts or emotions but about changing your relationship with them. It invites you to step out of autopilot, question familiar patterns, and respond with greater awareness and intention. When approached thoughtfully, often alongside other therapeutic tools, it becomes less about fixing yourself and more about understanding yourself. And in that understanding lies the ability to navigate life with more clarity, flexibility, and choice.