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Why The Nutrition Professionals Love Winter Melon, Nutritional Benefits And Serving Size Guidelines

Benefits by Iyanuoluwa Oyetunji

Master of Science in Medicine, specialization in Human Nutrition · 2 years of experience · South Africa

• Winter melon keeps the body hydrated and aid digestion, as it is about 96% water and rich in fiber.
• Winter melon is rich in potassium which is a vasodilator, and vitamin C which is a powerful antioxidants. The fruit can therefore maintain cardiovascular health and boost immunity.

This is for information purpose only, and should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. These are opinions from an external panel of individual doctors, and not to be considered as opinion of Microsoft. Please seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns. 

Lung cancer is a common form of the killer disease. It can spread quickly - often more so than other cancers - with cells moving through blood into the lungs and other parts of the body.

It is a cancer that is often only found once it has spread, meaning it is harder to treat. As with all cancers, the earlier it is found, the bigger the chance of surviving.

That means that spotting early - and lesser-known - signs could make a big difference to a patient's outcome. Lung cancer patients are usually aged 60 or older - and smokers are more likely to develop it, reports the Daily Record.

But second-hand smoke, radiation and substances such as asbestos, chromium and nickel compounds, are all causes as well, reports the Mirror. However, younger people and non-smokers may also be diagnosed.

Maintaining your general health as well as avoiding risk factors - such as smoking - can help reduce risk of developing the potentially fatal disease. Most commonly, the disease is found in the airways leading into the lungs. This can result in symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing and a persistent cough. Some people also bring up blood or phlegm when coughing.

However, there are other, lesser-known signs that should also be looked out for - such as pain or weakness in your shoulder. If a tumour is located at the top of the lung it can create pressure on the nerves and blood vessels going into the arm. This can result in pair and/or weakness in your shoulder or down your limbs - often a persistent sensation of pins and needles.

This sensation and pain can also be felt in the chest by some sufferers due to the location and size of the tumour. Clubbing of the fingers is also linked to lung cancer. This is where the tips of the fingers become swollen due to lack of oxygen. In other cases, the tumour might press against blood flow to the head, resulting in swelling around the face as well.

What are some other signs and symptoms of lung cancer?

According to the NHS, the most common symptoms of lung cancer are :

Cancerous cells can also release large quantities of hormones that can cause symptoms experienced in other parts of the body. It means that some may experience extreme fatigue and weight loss. Lung cancer can present with lung infections so it is important to consult a medical professional if you have been suffering from a long-term lung infection or if the illness has not responded to antibiotics or other treatments.

HIV breakthrough as new technology removes all traces of virus from infected cells

The discovery of how to snip HIV out of infected cells could one day lead to a cure for the Aids-causing virus, say researchers.

Scientists eliminated HIV from cells using a gene-editing technique that won a Nobel prize in 2020. The gene-cutting technology, Crispr-Cas, removed all traces of the virus from infected cells in lab tests. Working essentially as scissors, Crispr-Cas can cut the DNA at specific points, allowing unwanted genes to be deleted. New genetic material can also be introduced.

Study lead Dr Elena Herrera-Carrillo, of Amsterdam UMC, Netherlands, said: “These findings represent a pivotal advancement towards designing a cure strategy.” But researchers said the study, presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, represents proof of concept only, and will not become a cure for HIV any time soon.

Dr Jonathan Stoye, virus expert at the Francis Crick Institute, said: “The idea of a functional cure for Aids using Crispr-Cas technology... has enormous appeal. However, the challenge of removing HIV genomes from all the cells that make up the long-lived viral reservoirs in such people is extremely challenging.

"It therefore seems likely that many years will elapse before any such CRISPR-based therapy becomes routine, even assuming that it can be shown to be effective.”