Feature

Despite increased awareness of autoimmune conditions, myasthenia gravis (MG)—a rare, chronic, autoimmune neuromuscular disease affecting the signals between the nerves and the muscles at the neuromuscular junction—is not a condition that’s on many people’s radars.

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is one of the most common genetic disorders in the United States, where it affects over half a million people. While age, race, and ethnicity are not predictive factors, men with PKD may be more likely to experience a higher severity of disease; this could be due to hormonal differences.

Vitamins and minerals, generally referred to as micronutrients, have numerous functions. Many are enzymatic cofactors in multiple metabolic processes necessary for energy utilization, cell differentiation, immune function, and blood clotting.

The argument that ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) are harmful to health has been building for the past 15 years, heightened recently by some key events. Late last year, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee came under fire for indicating that there wasn’t sufficient evidence to recommend reducing or avoiding UPFs.