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Saliva
Saliva is the watery and usually somewhat frothy substance produced in the mouths of some animals, including humans. Produced in salivary glands, saliva is 98% water, but it contains many important substances, including electrolytes, mucus, antibacterial compounds and various enzymes. The digestive functions of saliva include moistening food, and helping to create a food bolus, so it can be swallowed easily. Saliva contains the enzyme amylase that breaks some starches down into maltose and dextrin. Thus, digestion of food occurs within the mouth, even before food reaches the stomach.
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Health & Medicine News
November 11, 2026
Nov. 11, 2026 A new study found that energy drinks and stimulant supplements were linked to disproportionately frequent reports of serious heart problems, including 11 times more reports of cardiac arrest and 4.5 times more reports of heart attacks. Young adults ...
Nov. 11, 2026 A surprising study of more than 4,500 older adults found that people who were overweight or obese when diagnosed with dementia had a 16% to 27% lower risk of death than those at a normal weight. Researchers suspect that extra energy and muscle ...
Nov. 11, 2026 Ancient manuscripts, including the 1,000-year-old York Gospels, have revealed traces of a deadly sheep virus whose history stretches back more than 3,700 years. Scientists discovered that the virus has remained remarkably unchanged for millennia, ...
Nov. 10, 2026 A surprising new weapon against microbes linked to head and neck cancer could be as simple as chewing gum. Scientists developed a bioengineered gum that reduced HPV levels by up to 93% in oral samples from cancer patients and nearly eliminated two ...
Nov. 10, 2026 New research involving more than 440,000 Americans links cannabis use to increased cardiovascular risk, with occasional users showing 40% higher odds of reporting a history of stroke. The findings suggest that even infrequent marijuana use may ...
Nov. 10, 2026 A major review of more than 350 studies suggests that eating less protein could slow aging, improve metabolic health, and potentially extend lifespan, challenging the widespread belief that more protein is always better. Researchers warn that many ...
Nov. 10, 2026 Even when bad cholesterol is brought down to healthy levels, some people remain at risk of heart attacks, and scientists may have discovered why. Researchers identified two types of fat-carrying particles that appear to promote inflammation and ...
Nov. 10, 2026 Scientists have discovered that tumors release natural antioxidants to shut down the immune cells responsible for destroying cancer, exploiting a surprising weakness in the body's defenses. Blocking this mechanism in mice restored immune activity ...
Nov. 9, 2026 A surprising discovery suggests that some early signs of Alzheimer’s disease may begin outside the brain. Using miniature laboratory systems made from human cells, scientists found that genetic mutations associated with inherited Alzheimer’s can ...
Nov. 9, 2026 Scientists have discovered that pantethine, a readily available vitamin B5 derivative, can calm overactive immune cells and may help fight psoriasis. The supplement prevented psoriasis in mice and showed promising results in a small human trial, ...
Nov. 9, 2026 Scientists have discovered that gut bacteria can feed on the protective mucus lining your intestines, producing potentially harmful compounds, but fiber helps keep this activity in check. Overlooked ...
Nov. 9, 2026 After more than 35 years of research, scientists have uncovered surprising clues about what really drives Lyme disease risk. Contrary to longstanding assumptions, deer populations appear less important than mice, which can fuel a 40% increase in ...
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Nov. 9, 2026 A surprising new study from UCLA suggests that a naturally occurring molecule could help breast cancer survivors overcome the frustrating brain fog and exhaustion that can linger long after treatment ...
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Nov. 8, 2026 Scientists have discovered that a buildup of a protein called Miro1 may be a hidden driver of insulin resistance in Type 2 diabetes, with preclinical experiments showing that removing it restores the ...
Nov. 8, 2026 Scientists at UC San Francisco have developed a powerful new cancer therapy that remains inactive until it reaches the brain, where it switches on to ...
Nov. 8, 2026 More than a century after Einstein revolutionized our understanding of gravity, scientists have uncovered a surprising new phenomenon hidden within ...
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Nov. 8, 2026 MIT scientists have developed nanoparticles that reprogram immune cells directly inside the body to attack cancer and harmful immune cells, eliminating tumors and reversing liver damage in mouse ...
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Nov. 7, 2026 Scientists have discovered that sleep disorders are associated with structural changes in brain regions that control attention, decision-making, and emotions, potentially explaining why disrupted ...
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