Scientists make groundbreaking discovery as they find cause of so many unexplained cancers

A doctor has explained how to correctly blow your nose because the way we’ve been doing it is wrong.

I’ll be honest, before I was presented with this information I never gave much of a thought about how to blow my nose.

We’re all going to catch a cold at some point in our lives, and as annoying as they are, they usually pass by without causing much harm.

When they strike, most people reach for the tissues and get ready for their noses to start leaking… but are you tending to it properly?

We’ve all been struck down by a cold at some point in our lives. Credit: Paul Bradbury/Getty

Sharing insights with his 1.4 million TikTok followers, allergist Dr. Zachary Rubin outlined the dangers of incorrectly clearing your sinuses.

Dr. Rubin explained that many people blow their noses too forcefully or pinch both nostrils at once, a common mistake. This excessive pressure can damage delicate nasal passages, especially in dry conditions, and increase the likelihood of painful nosebleeds.

Beyond that, forceful nose-blowing can send mucus in unintended directions, potentially causing further complications.

“You could be displacing mucus, bacteria, viruses, etc. into your eustachian tubes and potentially increasing the risk of having an ear infection,” Dr. Rubin said. In rare cases, this could even lead to a ruptured eardrum.

Dr. Rubin’s public service announcement comes at a critical time, as cold and flu season intensifies nationwide.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), influenza levels are “high” or “very high” in 42 states, with the South and Pacific Northwest particularly affected.

The hardest-hit states include Oregon, Idaho, New Mexico, Louisiana, Alabama, and Tennessee. Meanwhile, Montana and Vermont remain relatively unscathed, with minimal flu activity reported.

For those battling congestion, Dr. Rubin offers straightforward advice:

1. Press one nostril closed to prevent air from escaping through the opposite side.
2. Gently blow into a tissue to clear mucus from the open nostril.
3. Repeat on the other side.

The key, Dr. Rubin emphasized, is to blow gently and avoid creating too much pressure – and only blow out of one nostril at a time, not both. “It should be slow, comfortable, and relatively quiet — no forceful honking,” he advised.

To minimize the spread of germs, always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water afterward.

This seems like good advice to have this winter. Credit: Guillermo Spelucin/Getty

People seem shocked by this information, as one person wrote: “At this point I’m convinced I don’t even blink correctly.”

A second person said: “I was so concerned at first that I’ve been doing it wrong for years, but now I’m wondering how do you even blow with both nostrils at the same time??”

While a third seemed to know already: “Wait people don’t plug one side when they blow their nose?”

So, as we are deep in winter and sicknesses are spreading, perhaps it would be worth taking this advice on board.

Featured image credit: Guillermo Spelucin/Getty

A mom has spoken out about how her “puffy eyes” led to a life-altering and near-fatal health diagnosis.

Lizzie’s first symptoms were bags under her eyes. Credit: Leukaemia UK

For Lizzie, a 56-year-old professional cellist from England, life has been a series of health battles.

The mom has faced a lifetime of medical challenges. Diagnosed with Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) at 17, she had her spleen removed at 21, leaving her immunocompromised.

Later, in 2020, she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Yet, it was her daughter’s sharp eye in February 2021 that set in motion a life-saving journey.

“At that time, Lowri was studying from home due to Covid,” Lizzie explained. “She spotted I had big bags under my eyes – they were huge – and urged me to see a GP. I said no, but she insisted. I owe my daughter an awful lot.”

Initially, the GP suspected an allergic reaction to Lizzie’s morphine patches for fibromyalgia, but blood tests told a different story. Weeks later, a hospital in Burton-on-Trent called to report anomalies in her results, leading to an urgent bone marrow biopsy at Derby Royal Infirmary.

“They told me I had leukemia,” Lizzie recalled to Leukemia UK. “Looking back, I’d been having night sweats, which I attributed to menopause, and fatigue, which was normal for me. But when they mentioned a bone marrow biopsy, I knew it was serious.”

On March 3, 2021, Lizzie was officially diagnosed with ALL – acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

What followed was eight weeks in Nottingham City Hospital undergoing chemotherapy. However, full remission required a stem cell transplant. With no donor match available, her only hope was her daughter, Lowri.

Born nine weeks prematurely in 1999 after Lizzie had endured six miscarriages, Lowri has always been a miracle to her mother.

“I was told she might have developmental problems, but she excelled — she even got into Oxford to study English. I’m so proud of her. And then, she saved my life,” she heartwarmingly shared.

Lowri was a sufficient half-match for the transplant. On September 8, 2021, Lizzie received her daughter’s stem cells, followed by a donor lymphocyte infusion in March 2022.

For 20 months, the mom enjoyed remission, resuming her music career part-time and spending cherished moments with her fiancé John and their doodle dog, Scout.

But in November 2023, a routine blood test revealed the leukemia had returned. Lizzie hadn’t recognized the warning signs, saying: “The puffy eyes came back on holiday, but I blamed cocktails and lack of sleep.”

Her only chance of survival was CAR-T therapy, newly authorized for adults by the NHS. Lizzie said the process was grueling, sharing: “Outpatient chemo started again, which was a 100-mile round trip. I became very unwell – losing my sight in one eye and needing a wheelchair.”

After an agonizing wait, Lizzie was approved for CAR-T by the Cancer Drugs Fund. In February 2024, her T-cells were collected, processed, and reinfused on March 30. She became Nottingham University Hospital’s first adult CAR-T patient for relapsed ALL.

Today, Lizzie is in remission, confirmed on August 1, 2024. Reflecting on her journey, Lizzie said: “My world fell apart when I relapsed, but thanks to my incredible family, friends, and the NHS team, I’m here. Nothing in life is certain, so I’m taking one day at a time and seizing every moment.”

Sharing her story, Lizzie now wants others to be more aware of the symptoms. “I have a t-shirt that says, ‘I am the data,’” Lizzie joked. “CAR-T is still so new.”

Featured image credit: Flying Colours Ltd / Getty

Lily Phillips has opened up about a pretty gross health issue that she’s encountered since she slept with 101 men in a day.

In case you haven’t heard of her, Phillips is a 23-year-old adult star who is taking the industry by storm.

This time last year, nobody was too aware of her – but fast forward to today and she’s all over social media.

Part of the reason is due to the challenges she sets herself, such as her hopes to sleep with 1000 men in a single day.

Lily Phillips has made a name for herself in the adult industry. Credit: Lily Phillips/Instagram

To practice for such a huge target, the 23-year-old slept with 101 men in a day and it has sparked a lot of controversy.

YouTuber Josh Pieters followed Phillips on the big day and provided a behind-the-scenes look.

In one scene shared on social media, Phillips appeared visibly drained, reflecting on the taxing nature of the experience.

“It’s not for the weak girls,” she admitted. “If I’m honest, it was hard. I don’t know if I’d recommend it.”

She likened the challenge to “being a prostitute,” describing the day as “intense” and noting it was fundamentally different from typical intimacy.

“It wasn’t just having sex with someone; it was one in, one out,” Phillips explained.

She then burst into tears and had to be excused from the room.

Well, the emotions from the day aren’t the only thing that the adult star has to worry about, as she’s now opened up about a health issue she’s got from that day and other challenges.

Phillips shared her ordeal in a recent TikTok video, sparking concern among her fans.

“I’ve taken so much liquid in my eyes over the last month or so, that it’s now having a permanent effect on my eyes,” she revealed in the video, while appearing visibly distressed.

In the clip, Phillips is seen sitting on a sofa, her eyes noticeably red and swollen. A man is positioned behind her as she candidly describes her symptoms.

“This video was just the start of it,” she continued. “They were stinging so much here, but now it’s so much worse.”

The admission has alarmed many of her followers, who expressed their hopes that Phillips is seeking appropriate medical treatment.

One person wrote: “Girl it could be clamidia [sic] of the eye. If they start going crusty gem em checked.”

In terms of her 1000 men in a day goal, medical professionals have voiced serious concerns about the risks associated with such extreme challenges.

Dr. Zac Turner, a specialist in preventive health, warned about the physical and psychological strain involved.

“Sex, at its core, is a physically demanding activity that engages various muscles, the cardiovascular system, and the release of endorphins,” Dr. Turner told the New York Post.

While beneficial in moderation, he noted that activities of this magnitude could lead to severe physical harm.

“Fatigue diminishes the pleasurable aspects, and the constant physical exertion transitions from beneficial to harmful,” he explained, citing risks such as tearing, bruising, general soreness, and long-term physical strain.

Featured image credit: Instagram / Lily Phillips

There’s a new non-alcoholic drink on the market that could be a game changer.

When January rolls around each year, many of us decide to lay off the alcohol for a month.

Some people may shudder at the thought of doing that, while for others dry January will be a breeze.

While having the occasional drink isn’t anything to worry about, excessive drinking does come with a wave of health risks.

Could the days of hangovers be at an end? Credit: kaisersosa67/Getty

But what if there was a drink out there that came with the tipsy feeling of alcohol, without actually containing any?

That’s precisely what neuropsychopharmacologist David Nutt has been working toward.

A professor at Imperial College London and co-founder of GABA Labs, Nutt has spent years developing a synthetic solution that replicates alcohol’s euphoric effects without its downsides.

“It’s a drink that is based on the science of alcohol, particularly the low doses of alcohol that relax you and make you more sociable,” Nutt told The Independent.

In 2021, Nutt’s vision became reality with the launch of Sentia Spirits, a plant-based, botanical-powered beverage that delivers a gentle buzz with 0% alcohol by volume. Dubbed a “GABA spirit”, the drink leverages gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that induces relaxation and calm.

“When you’re drinking an alcoholic beverage, those alcohol molecules bind to GABA receptors and cause the sedative, relaxing effects of GABA to be enhanced,” Nutt explained.

“We’ve spent years researching the biochemistry of herbs to find ones which contain GABA molecules, and also those which have a track record of producing relaxation and calming effects.”

By combining GABA-promoting herbs and botanicals, Sentia offers what Nutt calls “an effective alternative to drinking low levels of alcohol.”

The brand currently offers two spirits: Sentia Red, ideal for unwinding on quiet evenings or for intimate settings like first dates, and Sentia Black, crafted for more energetic social gatherings.

Sentia’s effects vary from person to person. “It depends on people’s varying sensitivity,” Nutt noted.

“There is evidence that your GABA system becomes a bit less sensitive when you drink a lot of alcohol, and if you’re a heavy drinker, to be honest, you may not get much of an effect at all.”

For occasional drinkers or those seeking to cut back, Sentia may offer a solution for relaxed evenings without the downsides of alcohol.

While Sentia is a step forward, it’s not the endgame. Nutt and his team are developing a synthetic molecule called alcarelle, which aims to precisely mimic the effects of alcohol.

Once approved, alcarelle could be licensed to drinks companies for use in alcohol-free beers, wines, and spirits.

“That’s a big challenge,” Nutt admitted. “We’ve made molecules that perform that function but we haven’t yet optimized the one we want to take through to food and safety testing.”

GABA Labs anticipates completing FDA testing for alcarelle in the US by 2026, with products potentially hitting the market by 2027.

Non-alcoholic GABA spirits like Sentia are also entering a crowded space alongside CBD-infused beverages.

While both use neurotransmitters to promote relaxation, Sentia claims its GABA-based formulation delivers a more noticeable effect than the low CBD levels typically found in drinks.

A night out without a hangover the next day? Count me in.

Featured image credit: kaisersosa67/Getty

Online users have been left baffled by a stomach-churning simulation that shows what we would see if we had no eyes.

Online users have been left stunned by a simulation that shows what somebody would see if they went blind. Credit: Mavocado / Getty

Our eyes are crucial for both sight and self-expression. But have you ever wondered what the world would look like without them?

YouTuber Zack, who goes by the handle @ZackDFilms on the platform, created a disturbing simulation to answer this question.

Watch the video below:In a short video, the YouTuber explained what we already know – we would completely lose our vision if our “eyeballs fully popped out” of our heads.

But the question is, what would we actually see? While many believe that we would see “darkness” like pitch black, Zach explained that that is not accurate.

“Now this next bit might be hard to comprehend, but stick with us for a second. You wouldn’t see darkness, because you wouldn’t see anything at all,” he said.

“It would be like trying to see out of your elbow – there is no visual input, which means you quite literally see nothing. Not darkness, not pitch black… nothing,” he added.

The YouTuber explained that “you wouldn’t see darkness, because you wouldn’t see anything at all”. Credit: Ekaterina Vasileva-Bagler / Getty

Like many of the 18.2 million subscribers who flooded the comment section of the YouTuber’s video, I found imagining “nothing” to be quite difficult.

“‘You don’t see black. You literally see nothing.’ My brain hurts trying to imagine what that’s like,” one user commented.

“The idea of ‘seeing nothing’ is impossible for me to comprehend and is honestly terrifying,” a second user echoed.

“It’s actually impossible to comprehend what literal nothing looks like. It’s impossible to imagine what it would be like to lose your eyes without actually losing them,” a third user added.

A commentator wrote that the idea of seeing nothing sounded “scary,” while another remarked: “The thought of literally seeing nothing, not even pitch black, just nothing, is enough to trigger a panic attack.”

Many users have said it’s impossible to imagine what “nothing” looks like. Credit: Hill Street Studios / Getty

To help viewers who were struggling to grasp the complex concept, one user stepped in to offer an explanation.

“For who still didn’t [understand,] think of your eyes as cameras,” they wrote. “When you’re blind, that camera is damaged/broken, and can’t properly send footage to the ‘computer.’

“But in other cases, the ‘cables’, might not be properly attached recording, but not sending footage. Think as a lack of Input (lack of vision), rather than a different Output (seeing everything ‘pitch black’),” they concluded.

And if you are still confused, a Reddit commenter wrote that “your brain just wouldn’t register anything as ‘seen’”, adding: “You wouldn’t ‘see’ black, there would just be no signal in your brain.”

They also shared that if you had your eyeballs removed then you might see black or “all kinds of things as your optic nerves respond to every impulse as though it was vision”.