How well does getting COVID protect you from COVID?

Some people are mosquito magnets. The blood suckers do, in fact, have their favourites. 

And this could pose a major health risk. After all, mosquitoes are the deadliest creatures on earth. 

Norman and Tegan take us through the science of why some people attract more mozzies than others. 

Got a health question? Shoot us a line @ABCHealth on Instagram, or send a voice memo to thatrash@abc.net.au. We'd love to hear from you!

Looking for COVID-19 updates? Don't panic, they've moved over to The Health Report

References:

• Mosquitoes use vision to associate odor plumes with thermal targets
• Olfactory responses and field attraction of mosquitoes to volatiles from Limburger cheese and human foot odor
• Composition of Human Skin Microbiota Affects Attractiveness to Malaria Mosquitoes

What's That Rash? is coming to the World Science Festival Brisbane!

Bring yourself (and your non-communicable rash) to a live podcast recording with Dr Norman Swan and Tegan Taylor. 

We've got two double passes to give away to the Social Science event on March 22 for those who'll be in Brisbane.

Send us your questions for a chance to win. AND it's an adults-only event with mature content and coarse language, so go wild —  thatrash@abc.net.au

We're not the only ones attending. All in the Mind will also be doing a live show, and Dr Karl will be there for some Great Moments in Science!

Have you ever been told to 'listen to your body' when it comes to fitness?

It makes sense. You shouldn't push through injury, or past the point of exhaustion.

But how far is too far? There are now dozens of apps and hundreds of advice columns on how best to 'listen to your body'.

One strategy that's rising in the ranks is adjusting your workout routine to work alongside your menstrual cycle.

Norman and Tegan explore whether this kind of tech is advancing faster than the research.

References:

• Effects of the Menstrual Cycle on Exercise Performance
• The Efects of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Exercise Performance in Eumenorrheic Women: A Systematic Review and Meta‑Analysis
• Bidirectional Interactions between the Menstrual Cycle, Exercise Training, and Macronutrient Intake in Women: A Review

The only time most of us think about wisdom teeth is when they’re causing trouble.

Do they have a use beyond causing pain (and leaving you with a hefty dental bill)?

Norman and Tegan talk through the history of these meddlesome molars, and what happens when you ignore them.

Got a health question? Shoot us a line @ABCHealth on Instagram, or send a voice memo to thatrash@abc.net.au. We'd love to hear from you!

Looking for COVID-19 updates? Don't panic, they've moved over to The Health Report

References: 

• Surgical removal versus retention for the management of asymptomatic disease‐free impacted wisdom teeth
• Prevalence of Third Molar Agenesis: Associated Dental Anomalies in Non-Syndromic 5923 Patients
• Childhood diet may contribute to impacted wisdom teeth, research shows

Let's say you're a pretty healthy person. You have a balanced diet, exercise regularly and don't have any health issues. A multivitamin can only help, right?

Not necessarily. There are lots of multivitamins out there, catering to different circumstances.

Norman and Tegan take us through the evidence for (and against) taking these catch-all supplements.

Got a health question? Shoot us a line @ABCHealth on Instagram, or send a voice memo to thatrash@abc.net.au. We'd love to hear from you!

Looking for COVID-19 updates? Don't panic, they've moved over to The Health Report

References: 

• Should I Take a Daily Multivitamin?
• Dietary antioxidants and primary prevention of age related macular degeneration: systematic review and meta-analysis
• Dietary flavanols restore hippocampal-dependent memory in older adults with lower diet quality and lower habitual flavanol consumption

Thousands of Australians see a chiropractor for relief from back pain, headaches or stiffness.

There has been a level of controversy surrounding the profession since its inception in the 19th century.

But looking beyond the field's storied history, where does the evidence stand now on chiropractic?

Got a health question? Shoot us a line @ABCHealth on Instagram, or send a voice memo to thatrash@abc.net.au. We'd love to hear from you!

Looking for COVID-19 updates? Don't panic, they've moved over to The Health Report

References: 

• Evidence-Based Practice and Chiropractic Care
• Benefits and harms of spinal manipulative therapy for the treatment of chronic low back pain: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
• Anatomical Sciences in Chiropractic Education: A Survey of Chiropractic Programs in Australia
• A Phase 3 Randomised Trial of Nicotinamide for Skin-Cancer Chemoprevention

There are so many weird and wonderful skin potions out there, promising to fend off or reverse the signs of ageing.

But do they work? And if so, how do they work?

Norman and Tegan take us through their skincare routines (and some evidence, of course).

Got a health question? Shoot us a line @ABCHealth on Instagram, or send a voice memo to thatrash@abc.net.au. We'd love to hear from you!

Looking for COVID-19 updates? Don't panic, they've moved over to The Health Report

References: 

• Genetics and skin ageing - Dermato-Endocrinology
• Retinoids: Active molecules influencing skin structure formation in cosmetic and dermatological treatments
• Role of antioxidants in the skin: Anti-ageing effects

Night terrors are distressing awakenings of intense screaming, thrashing and fear that often happen at the same time each night. 

They're more common in children than in adults, but they can hang around or emerge later in life. 

Norman takes us through his own childhood night terror, and Tegan weighs in on some of the reasons they happen in the first place. 

Got a health question? Shoot us a line @ABCHealth on Instagram, or send a voice memo to thatrash@abc.net.au. We'd love to hear from you!

Looking for COVID-19 updates? Don't panic, they've moved over to The Health Report

References: 

• Night Terrors: Clinical Characteristics and Personality Patterns
• An evolutionary perspective on night terrors

Have you ever been chastised for eating a bowl of cereal for lunch? Or having leftovers for breakfast?

There are certain foods designed 'breakfast foods' in the collective imagination: eggs, toast, cornflakes, pancakes. 

But the stories of how they came to earn their morning timeslot are far from science-based. 

Got a health question? Shoot us a line @ABCHealth on Instagram, or send a voice memo to thatrash@abc.net.au. We'd love to hear from you!

Looking for COVID-19 updates? Don't panic, they've moved over to The Health Report

References: 

• Is breakfast the most important meal of the day? Bath Breakfast Project
• Towards an Evidence-Based Recommendation for a Balanced Breakfast
• Breakfast skipping and timing of lunch and dinner: Relationship with BMI and obesity

No pain, no gain — right?

Well, if you're looking to build muscle, not necessarily. Chasing discomfort might even slow you down. 

Norman and Tegan discuss delayed-onset muscle soreness, and why it's not always indicative of a good workout. 

Got a health question? Shoot us a line @ABCHealth on Instagram, or send a voice memo to thatrash@abc.net.au. We'd love to hear from you!

Looking for COVID-19 updates? Don't panic, they've moved over to The Health Report

References:

• Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness and Critical Neural Microdamage-Derived Neuroinflammation
• Post Orgasmic Illness Syndrome (POIS) and Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS): Do They Have Anything in Common?
• Effects of Descending Stair Walking on Health and Fitness of Elderly Obese Women
• “The Glorious Pain”: Attaining Pleasure and Gratification in Times of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) among Gym Goers

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