All the posts from our Those Nerdy Girls Facebook page dating back to May 1st, 2020, are currently archived here and can be searched for by category, key words, etc. Be sure to check back often as additional posts are being added each day.
Updated COVID vaccines by Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax are expected to be rolled out in the US this coming September. The CDC recommends that “everyone aged 6 months and older should receive the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine to protect against potentially serious health consequences from COVID-19 this fall and winter.” This advice also applies to Read more…
Testing your blood for PFAS (“forever chemicals”) is not recommended for most people. However, for the small fraction of people with a history of high PFAS exposure, the potential benefits of testing may outweigh the harms. PFAS blood tests can flag unusually high blood levels of these chemicals or offer peace of mind, but they Read more…
Learn more about them here As part of our ongoing effort to better serve our Nerdy Girl community and continuing to bring high-value health information to all, we have added the position of Content Manager to our team. Nerd MK Haber is now serving in this role in addition to being a valued Contributing Writer. Read more…
Most recent data show that about 10-14% of young people in the US have used cannabis vapes in the past 30 days. It’s more common in areas where recreational use is legal, and it can have negative health effects. Covering nicotine vaping in previous posts (posts one and two) has answered a lot of questions, but this Nerdy Read more…
Vaccine development is regulated and monitored at every stage. A vaccine is only approved if it is deemed safe and effective, following a rigorous assessment of its benefits and risks. This ensures that you can trust vaccines offered by your healthcare professional, even those developed during emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccines have saved A Read more…
Learn more about them in this post We are excited to introduce you to our newest Nerdy Girls! Because. . . you know. . . the more Nerds the better! The diversity and breadth of expertise in this group is a hallmark of what makes TNG a valued resource on a wide variety of health Read more…
Current data support that vaginal estrogen is very safe and effective for most people, yet many clinicians are under-informed about and overly reluctant to prescribe treatment for menopausal symptoms. “I’m struggling with post-menopausal vaginal symptoms, and my clinician only recommended a moisturizer, which doesn’t help much. Why didn’t they prescribe an estrogen cream?” – Becca Read more…
An independent advisory committee voted against approval of MDMA for PTSD. This makes it unlikely the FDA will approve it, but we’re still not sure. There’s no reason to believe this substantially affects the opportunity for other psychedelics to be approved for other psychiatric conditions. On May 30, 2024, there were headlines everywhere (at least Read more…
This information is up to date as of July 16, 2024 at 5 pm EDT. Pandemic potential remains low despite 9 cases* of H5N1 in humans for 2024, but the situation is still evolving. “…if we can’t iron out the differences between agriculture and human health… [a more severe virus is] not going to be Read more…
Harm reduction or risk reduction is a strategy that aims to reduce the negative impacts of specific behaviors. This is the first in a series of posts meant to look at harm reduction: what it is, what it isn’t, and how we can use it to effect positive change in people we care about (including Read more…
A: Logical fallacies use faulty reasoning to make it seem like a claim or argument is true when it’s actually invalid and not supported by evidence. TL: DR; Being aware of logical fallacies can help us be more savvy when it comes to evaluating (and making) claims and arguments. Logical fallacies take several forms and Read more…
Should I get a water filter to remove PFAS from my water? Which type is best? Water filters are a wise investment if your tap water has potentially harmful levels of PFAS (a type of “forever chemical”). Roughly 5-10% of public water supplies in the United States have elevated PFAS levels (above the US EPA limits). Read more…
Q: What is immune imprinting, and should the public be worried about it? A: Don’t let statements about imprinting stop you from getting your annual vaccines for COVID and flu. Immune imprinting refers to the fact that our immune response to a vaccine (or infection) is affected by previous exposures to similar vaccines (or infections). Read more…
Chemical sunscreens have no proven health risks, but they ARE proven to protect the skin from the sun’s UV radiation — a major risk factor for skin cancer. As with many things in our daily lives, we can’t be sure that chemical sunscreens are 100% risk-free. Still, medical and scientific experts agree that the benefits Read more…
🇺🇸🇺🇸 Those Nerdy Girls wishes a safe and happy 4th of July to all who celebrate! Here are some tips to get you, your family, and your pets through safely. ➡️ FIREWORKS SAFETY TIPS (courtesy American Red Cross) The safest way to enjoy fireworks is to attend a public fireworks show put on by professionals. Read more…
“I’m over 65 but otherwise healthy. When I went for my annual check up my doctor said that while a summer booster was being recommended, she thought waiting until fall was fine. So I’m confused about whether or not to get a summer dose.” -Kit from Columbus, OH For those over age 65, a “summer Read more…
Over the past decade, vape use has increased among young people in the US and is now far more popular than other types of nicotine or tobacco products. Increase in Vaping Among Young People According to the US National Youth Tobacco Survey of 2023, vapes (also called e-cigarettes) are by far the most popular nicotine or tobacco Read more…
As a cisgender woman, Pride Month always feels like a good time for me to do some thinking on what it means to be an effective ally for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Questioning, Two Spirit, Intersex, Agender, and Asexual (LGBTQ2SIA+) and Same Gender Loving (SGL) people. The Human Rights Campaign defines “ally” as “A Read more…
Yes. There is a recent global uptick in colorectal cancer rates among adults under 50. If you are aged 45 or older (or <45 with increased risk of colorectal cancer due to family history or certain medical conditions), talk to your clinician about getting screened. In the US, colorectal cancer (CRC) – cancer that starts in Read more…
Q: June is Pride Month. Why do Those Nerdy Girls feel it is important to write about Pride? June is Pride Month in the U.S. and many countries around the world. Pride events serve to celebrate, honor, uplift, educate, and increase understanding and visibility for and among members of Queer communities and their families and Read more…
