천암한의원 Acupuncture Center ChunAm

천암한의원 Acupuncture Center ChunAm Dr.Lee is a 3rd generation acupuncture and herbal medicine doctor, helping people to feel and live b

Northbrook Office is at:
3486 Milwaukee Avenue
Northbrook, IL 60062
(847) 298-8860

11/05/2025

Young and middle-aged athletes exposed to repeated head impacts may experience profound changes in their brains years before chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, can be diagnosed. New research shows that even without the classic protein clumps linked to CTE, the brains of these athletes reveal early signs of inflammation, neuron loss, and altered blood vessel cells. Microglia, the brain’s resident immune cells, shift from their normal “homeostatic” state to an inflammatory state, with the proportion of these cells increasing the longer an athlete played contact sports. These inflammatory microglia express genes related to metabolism, oxygen stress, and immune signaling, hinting at ongoing cellular stress.

The study also uncovered damage to endothelial cells, which line blood vessels. These cells show signs of inflammation and activate genes involved in forming new vessels, suggesting the brain attempts repair but may compromise the blood-brain barrier over time. Most strikingly, a specific population of neurons in the upper cortex, critical for cognitive function, was reduced by more than half in athletes exposed to repeated head impacts. This loss was proportional to the years spent playing contact sports and could explain early cognitive and mood symptoms reported by athletes.


Research Paper 📄
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09534-6

11/01/2025

Breast cancer often hides in plain sight. Even after successful treatment, up to 30 percent of patients see their tumors return, contributing to hundreds of thousands of deaths each year. A promising new study from the University of Pennsylvania suggests we may have a way to stop this: by actively going after dormant tumor cells (DTCs) that linger quietly in the bone marrow and other parts of the body.

Instead of waiting and monitoring for recurrence, researchers tested drugs that target these sleeper cells directly. In a trial of 51 breast cancer survivors confirmed to have DTCs, hydroxychloroquine and everolimus—either individually or together—proved highly effective. When combined, the drugs eliminated 87 percent of DTCs, and all participants remained cancer-free for three years. Even using either drug alone kept survival rates above 90 percent. Mouse studies conducted beforehand showed similar results and helped reveal why these dormant cells respond differently from actively growing tumors.

These findings highlight that dormant tumor cells are biologically distinct from active cancer, meaning some drugs ineffective against growing tumors can selectively wipe out the sleepers. Not every survivor has DTCs, but for those who do, this approach could dramatically reduce relapse risk. Researchers now aim to expand trials, test different drug combinations, and refine dosing to maximize protection. For many survivors, targeting these hidden cells may finally ease the lingering fear of cancer returning.


Research Paper 📄
DOI: 10.1038/s41591-025-03877-3

10/07/2025

Instant coffee linked to nearly 7x higher risk of age-related vision loss in new study.

A recent study found that people who regularly drink instant coffee have nearly seven times the risk of developing dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a major cause of vision loss, and this risk seems connected to their genetic makeup. Unlike other types of coffee, only instant coffee showed this strong link, possibly because it’s more processed and interacts differently with certain genes involved in eye health.

While this doesn’t prove instant coffee causes AMD, it highlights an important association that could mean people with certain genes should be cautious about their instant coffee intake.

Research Paper 📄
PMID: 40521080

10/01/2025

Watermelon is more than just a refreshing summer fruit. It contains an amino acid called L citrulline, which supports blood flow and helps reduce muscle soreness after exercise.

When you push your body through a tough workout, your muscles need oxygen and nutrients to recover and rebuild. L citrulline in watermelon helps widen blood vessels, allowing for better circulation. This improved flow delivers essential fuel to tired muscles and may shorten the time it takes to recover. Some studies suggest that athletes who consume watermelon or watermelon juice before or after training experience less soreness and greater comfort the next day.

Beyond recovery, watermelon offers several other fitness friendly benefits. Since it is made up of over ninety percent water, it is a natural hydrator that helps replace fluids lost through sweat. The fruit also provides natural sugars that restore energy levels, along with potassium and magnesium that help regulate muscle contractions and prevent cramps. Vitamin B6 plays a role in energy production and supports overall muscle health.

Adding watermelon to your diet is simple. You can enjoy it as fresh slices, blend it into a smoothie, or drink it as juice after a workout. With its mix of hydration, nutrients, and natural compounds that aid recovery, watermelon is a sweet and practical way to support an active lifestyle.

10/01/2025

New treatment strategy turns aggressive breast cancer cells into harmless ones.

Researchers have uncovered a breakthrough approach to tackling triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), one of the most aggressive and hard-to-treat forms of breast cancer. By blocking an enzyme called PLK1, scientists were able to push these cancer cells to mature into more normal, non-proliferating cells that stop growing and start dying—a process called differentiation.

This treatment not only slows tumor growth but also makes cancer cells more vulnerable to the immune system, offering hope for combining it with immunotherapy. Since PLK1 inhibitors are already in clinical trials for other cancers, this discovery could fast-track new treatment options for TNBC patients who currently have limited therapies available.


RESEARCH PAPER 📄
PMID: 36008466

09/23/2025

Your immune system might be behind both psoriasis and joint inflammation.

Psoriatic arthritis develops in up to 30% of people with psoriasis when the immune system mistakenly attacks joints and connective tissues, not just the skin. This autoimmune overreaction often happens in those with a genetic predisposition and can be triggered by infections, injuries, stress, or lifestyle factors like smoking and obesity.
Treatments focus on calming specific immune signals called cytokines to control symptoms without shutting down the immune system completely, while lifestyle changes—such as good sleep, stress management, exercise, and an anti-inflammatory diet—help reduce flare-ups and support overall health.

09/22/2025

Weekly egg consumption may cut Alzheimer’s risk nearly in half, new study on aging finds.

Eating at least one egg a week could significantly protect your brain, with a large study showing nearly a 47% lower risk of Alzheimer’s dementia among older adults who regularly ate eggs compared to those who rarely did.

The brain benefits mostly come from choline, a nutrient in eggs that supports healthy brain cells and their communication, and omega-3 fatty acids that boost brain function. While more research is needed, this simple and affordable food might be a powerful tool for keeping your mind sharper as Alzheimer’s cases grow worldwide.


RESEARCH PAPER 📄
PMID: 38782209

09/10/2025

When you are asleep, your body is not just relaxing. Your immune system is actually training and preparing for battle. It produces infection fighting proteins called cytokines along with antibodies that target harmful bacteria and viruses. Some cytokines even act like messengers that tell your body how to respond when a threat shows up. This night shift work is one reason why you often feel stronger and heal faster after good rest.

If you do not sleep enough, your immune system does not get the time it needs to create these protective substances. This means fewer antibodies are available to fight germs. Your white blood cells, which are like soldiers of your immune system, also become less active and less accurate. Instead of detecting and attacking invaders quickly, they may respond slower or miss the target altogether.

As a result, your body becomes more vulnerable to common infections like colds and the flu. Recovery also drags on because your immune system is not working at full power. Even vaccines may not work as effectively when you are sleep deprived, since your body struggles to build a strong defense response.

Over time, constant lack of sleep does more than just leave you open to everyday sickness. It puts your immune system in a state of stress and imbalance, which raises your risk for serious long term problems like diabetes, heart disease, and even certain types of cancer.

09/05/2025

Sleeping longer than eight hours may quietly increase your risk of dementia over time.

A recent study found that going to bed before 9 p.m. and sleeping longer than eight hours both raise the risk of dementia, especially for adults aged 60 to 74. Researchers followed nearly 2,000 older adults over almost four years and discovered that early sleepers had twice the chance of developing dementia compared to those who slept later, while longer sleepers faced a 69% higher risk than those sleeping seven to eight hours.

Though the study didn’t include factors like sleep disorders, it highlights how adjusting sleep habits—like avoiding very early bedtimes and excessive sleep—might help lower dementia risk, particularly in vulnerable rural communities.

RESEARCH PAPER 📄
PMID: 36128778

08/20/2025

Your liver is one of the only organs in the human body that can truly regrow itself — which is why living liver donations work so well. When someone gives a portion of their liver to a patient in need, that piece actually grows inside the recipient, becoming a full-sized, functioning organ in about six weeks. The donor’s remaining liver also kicks into gear right away, usually returning to its original size in the same time frame.

This ability to rebuild lost tissue makes partial liver transplants far safer than most organ donations. Unlike other organs that stay smaller or scarred, liver cells multiply quickly and restore normal function. That’s why surgeons rely on this option so often for people with severe liver disease.

It’s a bit like real-life science fiction — you give part of an organ away, and both you and the recipient end up with healthy, full-sized livers again. This extraordinary power saves thousands of lives every year.

08/15/2025

Stanford scientists have developed a groundbreaking treatment that uses a specially designed lab-made molecule to seek out cancer cells and supercharge the immune system’s ability to attack them, showing remarkable results in mice with some of the most aggressive forms of breast and pancreatic cancer.
In early tests, just three simple IV doses were sometimes enough to make tumors vanish entirely, while in other cases they shrank dramatically and gave the animals much longer lives, even reaching and attacking cancers that had spread to parts of the body usually hard for treatments to reach.
The therapy works by transforming the tumor’s environment so it can no longer hide from the immune system, instead drawing in cancer-destroying cells, and with such promising results, researchers are now preparing to test this approach in human patients.

study : PMID: 34774126

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3486 Milwaukee Avenue
Northbrook, IL
60090

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