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.
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 loved ones. Visibility is important because it leads to improvements in safety and health. Those Nerdy Girls would Read more…
💊Should I take an iron supplement? It very much depends. For example, people who menstruate or have vegetarian diets are more likely to benefit from extra iron. The best way to know if you need more iron is by having an iron blood test and talking to your clinician. You may benefit from taking an Read more…
Optimism doesn’t mean ignoring what hurts — it means holding on to the hope that things can get better. And yes, that hope can make a difference by making things feel a little more manageable as we heal. When we think about healing from trauma, optimism might not be the first thing that comes to Read more…
I’m stressing out about gaining weight. What can I do? As summer approaches, people start putting a lot of weight on their weight. But your health is more than just a number. Here are some ideas to help you focus on what really matters. Maybe you have noticed that your clothes aren’t fitting the same. Read more…
Possibly not, but the reality is that we’re still figuring out the root cause of most things! Let’s say you’ve been feeling really tired lately, so you go see your clinician and they ask about your stress levels and run a bunch of labs, maybe even a sleep study. But everything is normal. Now what? Read more…
Information overload is a common challenge. Understand who’s on your cancer care team, use your information resources, and share your journey with those you trust. The biopsy report comes back with the news you never wanted to hear: cancer. Your head begins to swim at the thought of the diagnosis, as well as all the Read more…
We have now surpassed 1000 cases of measles in the US. How can we control the outbreak? Update on numbers Confirmed cases are correct as of Friday May 23, 2025 (Note that the CDC updates their numbers on Friday at noon) ➡️ There are now more than 1000 cases of measles across the US. ⬆️ Read more…
Ethics are a set of principles that help us figure out what’s right and wrong. In medical research, they help to keep the people taking part safe, make sure the research does more good than harm, and ensure the results can be trusted. Bottom line up front – Medical research is strictly regulated, and ethical Read more…
TL;DR: Osteoporosis is a common condition caused by low bone mass and a higher risk of fractures. Bone loss can happen for many reasons, and anyone can develop osteoporosis. That’s why it’s important for everyone to know how to keep their bones healthy! May is a month of renewal as plants and trees flourish with Read more…
Confounders (or confounding variables) are factors that are associated with both the “cause” and “effect” (or exposure and outcome) in a potential cause-and-effect relationship. If ignored, they can cause misleading results and conclusions. Common confounders include age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Imagine a study that looked at the relationship between diet and various health conditions. Read more…
Clinical trials are done to ensure that medications and vaccines work and that their benefits outweigh the risks. We know these trials work because we can find examples where trials were paused or stopped due to concerns with safety and efficacy. Clinical trials are done to ensure that medications or vaccines work (officially called efficacy) Read more…
Want to see how overdose, suicide, homicide and firearms death trends are shifting in your community and across the U.S.? A new dashboard from the CDC makes local and national data easier to explore. Use it to learn about trends, support your work, or advocate for change. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Read more…
Belief perseverance, also called the backfire effect, occurs when we hold on to our beliefs even after they are proven wrong. Critical thinking, meaningful reflection, and open-mindedness to a broad array of trustworthy resources can help prevent us from falling into that trap! It feels like everyone has that friend or weird uncle who clings Read more…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cut nearly 20% of its workforce due to a recent reduction in force called for by the current administration. Several divisions were eliminated, including ones responsible for monitoring air and water quality, preventing childhood lead poisoning, and supporting safe drinking water initiatives. On Tuesday, April 1, 2025, Read more…
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is becoming a leading cause of head & neck cancers in the US. Vaccination remains the best way of protecting yourself on top of safer sex and reduced alcohol/tobacco use. You may have heard a lot about cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (HPV) in the news, but did you know HPV can Read more…
May means you’re probably hearing more people talk about mental health awareness, and that’s a good thing. But let’s be real – mental health isn’t a once-a-year conversation. It’s something many of us navigate every single day, sometimes out loud and sometimes in silence. 🤔 Did you know? ▪️As many as 1 in 8 people Read more…
For most healthy people, full-body MRIs aren’t necessary. It’s much more important to work with your provider and discuss your own risks and health goals. Wellness influencers and celebrities have been really into getting full-body magnetic resonance images, or MRIs, just to check to see if they might have cancer or other conditions. So should Read more…
Ageism is words or actions that judge someone based on their age, old or young. Ageist behaviors can be purposeful or accidental with personal and societal consequences. While most people think ageism only involves older adults, anyone can be ageist or be affected by ageism. First used by Dr. Robert Butler in 1969, ageism is Read more…
Maybe a little. It is difficult to tell if magnesium helps with mental health for most people. Why is magnesium important? Magnesium is a mineral that is present in the human body and generally taken in through food products. It is present in some medications and of course, can also be taken as a supplement. Read more…
Any update on sexually transmitted infection prevention? Well as a matter of fact, yes there is! There is an exciting update on sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention. And sexually transmitted infection prevention is one of the things that makes this Nerd go all starry-eyed! 🤩 ✨ Medication prevention for chlamydia and syphilis (less effective for Read more…
