What's That Rash?

Not a fruit lover, but eat plenty of veggies? Ever wondered if skipping that banana might actually matter?
We all know a mix of fruit and vegetables is key to a long, healthy life.
Norman and Tegan dig into whether eating little or no fruit could actually be bad for you.
References:
What exactly is a tomato? The difference between fruit and veg - ABC News
Key statistics and data about child and adult consumption of fruit and vegetables - Australian Bureau of Statistics
Fresh fruit consumption and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: findings from the China Kadoorie Biobank  
Fruit consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: results from three prospective longitudinal cohort studies 
Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Mortality: Results from Two Prospective Cohort Studies of US Men and Women and a Meta-Analysis of 26 Cohort Studies 
The global burden of disease attributable to suboptimal fruit and vegetable intake, 1990-2021: a systematic analysis of the global burden of disease study 
Fruit and vegetable consumption and all-cause mortality: evidence from a large Australian cohort study 
A basket of new fruit varieties is coming your way – The Economist 
Releasing a sugar brake generates sweeter tomato without yield penalty
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If you’re into skincare, you’ve probably been advertised light therapy face masks.
These high-tech hockey masks promise to plump up or heal your skin through light – often red, but sometimes yellow, green, blue or even purple.
Norman and Tegan go through the rainbow to assess where there's evidence, and where there's not.
References:
Sweaty sauna bathing for better health - What's That Rash?
Near Infrared Photoimmunotherapy: A Review of Recent Progress and Their Target Molecules for Cancer Therapy
Effect of NASA Light-Emitting Diode Irradiation on Wound Healing
Visible Red Light Emitting Diode Photobiomodulation for Skin Fibrosis: Key Molecular Pathways
Utilization of light-emitting diodes for skin therapy: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Photodynamic Therapy Using HMME for Port-Wine Stains: Clinical Effectiveness and Sonographic Appearance
Effect of Blue Light on Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review
The efficacy of violet light in the treatment of acne
Featured review: What are the benefits and risks of light therapy for treating atopic eczema?
Light therapy for preventing seasonal affective disorder
This episode first aired on December 18, 2024.

What determines whether you’re right or left handed? Is there really such a thing as being ambidextrous?
It’s a surprisingly complicated story, and culture comes into play – some people are forced to go against their dominant hand.
Norman and Tegan parse through the history of handedness in this live recording at the World Science Festival Brisbane.
References:
A large-scale population study of early life factors influencing left-handedness 
The handedness of Kerrs and Carrs
The association between switching hand preference and the declining prevalence of left-handedness with age
Stuttering and “Retraining” Left-Handed Children in Mid-Century U.S. 
Can training to become ambidextrous improve brain function?  
Brain Size Associated with Foot Preferences in Australian Parrots 
The Influence of Handedness on the Clinical Presentation and Neuropsychology of Alzheimer Disease
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Headaches are common, but the causes are wide and varied, and some are more serious than others. 
Why do we get headaches? What's the difference between a headache and a migraine?
Norman and Tegan talk through some basics about headaches, and why a round of squats might help...
References:
The Science Behind Headaches: What's Really Happening In Your Skull 
The vascular theory of migraine—a great story wrecked by the facts
Twelve-month efficacy of CGRP monoclonal antibodies and predictive value of short-term response: results of an Australian multicentre study 
Trial of Galcanezumab in Prevention of Episodic Cluster Headache
Erenumab for Chronic Cluster Headache: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Effect of Exercise on Chronic Tension-Type Headache and Chronic Migraine: A Systematic Review
The effect of different exercise types on migraine frequency in individuals with migraine: A pilot study
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We've all probably wished for a way to achieve our fitness goals without the strain and sweat that can come with exercise.
So what if you could lose weight, gain muscle and improve circulation just by standing on a vibrating platform?
Norman and Tegan buzz through the evidence for and against vibration plates and so called "passive exercise".
References:
Dr Gustav Zander’s Victorian-Era Exercise Machines Made the Bowflex Look Like Child’s Play
The effects of whole body vibration therapy on reducing fat mass in the adult general population: A systematic review and meta-analyses 
Whole-body vibration administered during a 3-week in-hospital multidisciplinary body weight reduction program increases resting energy expenditure in obese adolescents, a randomized clinical trial 
Immediate effects of localized vibration on flexibility: A randomized crossover trial 
Effects of whole body vibration with exercise therapy versus exercise therapy alone on flexibility, vertical jump height, agility and pain in athletes with patellofemoral pain: a randomized clinical trial 
Whole Body Vibration as an Adjunct to Static Stretching
Whole-Body Vibration Stimulates Microvascular Blood Flow in Skeletal Muscle 
Whole body vibration training improves leg blood flow and adiposity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus 
Effects of Whole-Body Vibration Training on Lower Limb Blood Flow in Children with Myelomeningocele—A Randomized Trial 
Effect of localised vibration on muscle strength in healthy adults: a systematic review 
Whole-body vibration training improves muscle mass and strength in older adults through intra- and extra-muscular pathways 
The effect of whole body vibration training on quadriceps voluntary activation level of people with age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia): a randomized pilot study 
Hormonal responses to a single session of wholebody vibration exercise in older individuals
Hormonal and Metabolic Responses to Whole Body Vibration in Healthy Adults 
Low-frequency vibrotherapy considerably improves the effectiveness of manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) in patients with lipedema: A two-armed, randomized, controlled pragmatic trial 
Efficacy of whole body vibration exercise in older people: a systematic review 
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