Lorenzo Bernardino, MD

22/01/2026

Mental health is really important.

Chronic anxiety can quietly damage your well-being by keeping the body’s stress response switched on for too long. Over time, constant worry floods the system with hormones like cortisol, which can weaken immune function, disrupt digestion, trigger headaches, and create lasting muscle tension. Long-term stress also raises the risk of high blood pressure and other cardiovascular issues, while pushing some people toward unhealthy coping habits like overeating, smoking, or substance use. Learning to release what you cannot control is not just mindset advice. It is a protective habit for both physical health and mental health.

22/01/2026

Allot days for rest and recuperation

It hits really deep when Atty. Genesus M. Auza posts this...

"A hospital bill can wipe out ten years of savings.

Rest is cheaper. Sleep is cheaper. Taking care of yourself is cheaper."

Madalas inuuna natin ang trabaho, overtime, at deadlines kaysa sa katawan natin. Akala natin kaya pa, kahit pagod na pagod na. Hanggang sa isang araw, katawan na mismo ang susuko.

Hindi natin napapansin na ang simpleng pahinga ay isang uri ng investment. Yung tulog na kulang ngayon, babayaran mo rin balang araw. Health is wealth is not just a saying, totoo talaga.

Maraming tao ang nagsisisi lang kapag nasa ospital na. Doon mo marerealize na mas mahal pala ang gamutan kaysa sa isang araw na pahinga. Sana mas pinakinggan natin ang katawan natin noon pa.

Hindi kahinaan ang magpahinga. Hindi rin ito katamaran. Ito ay paraan ng pagprotekta sa sarili para makapagpatuloy pa sa buhay.

Piliin mong alagaan ang sarili mo habang may lakas ka pa. Walang trabaho o pera ang papalit sa kalusugan mo. Take care now, or pay the price later.

21/01/2026

Read carefully

A room full of infected patients failed to spread the flu to others in the room with them, in new study..

In a study that sounds like the beginning of a pandemic thriller, researchers from the University of Maryland placed flu-infected college students in a confined hotel room with healthy volunteers.

Despite hours of shared air and close contact without masks, not a single healthy participant contracted the virus. The results, published in PLOS Pathogens, challenge long-held assumptions about how easily the flu spreads in indoor settings. While the infected donors had high viral loads in their nasal passages, the lack of transmission suggests that simple proximity may not be the primary danger factor we once believed.

The key to this unexpected outcome lies in three factors: airflow, coughing, and participant age. Because the infected students coughed infrequently, significantly less virus was aerosolized into the environment. Meanwhile, constant air circulation from heaters and dehumidifiers diluted the remaining viral particles, preventing them from reaching infectious concentrations. These findings emphasize that improving indoor air quality through ventilation and portable purifiers may be just as vital as physical distancing. For those in high-risk environments, the study reinforces that while air quality is a powerful shield, an N95 mask remains the gold standard defense when coughing is present.

source: University of Maryland. (2026). Evaluating modes of influenza transmission (EMIT-2): Insights from lack of transmission in a controlled transmission trial with naturally infected donors. PLOS Pathogens.

21/01/2026

So, do not skip leg day!

People with stronger, more developed leg muscles tend to live longer and healthier lives. Building lower-body strength may play a powerful role in reaching 100.

21/01/2026

There is a link between skeletal muscle mass and cognitive impairment in older adults, and cognitive function can be improved through early intervention or by improving the level of skeletal muscle mass in older adults.

See link for full article:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40491991/

You must build your body to save your mind.
Neurologists call muscle the "anti-aging organ." Studies confirm seniors with higher muscle mass have significantly more gray matter. Lifting weights releases myokines that travel to the brain and protect neurons.
Strength training is brain training.
Shared for informational purposes only. Source: Journal of Gerontology

19/01/2026

Neuroscience shows that resilience is not simply a personality trait you are born with. It is supported by real neural networks in the brain that can strengthen over time. When you face stress, discomfort, or challenge and choose to persist rather than withdraw, you engage brain regions involved in emotional regulation, problem-solving, and stress recovery, particularly circuits linking the prefrontal cortex with the amygdala. Through neuroplasticity, repeated engagement of these pathways makes them more efficient, improving your ability to regulate emotions and adapt under pressure.

Resilience, therefore, is not fixed. It develops through experience and repeated coping efforts. Each time you navigate difficulty and recover, the brain becomes better prepared to handle future stress. This does not mean ignoring pain or forcing toughness, but gradually building capacity through action, reflection, and recovery. Over time, these experiences shape a nervous system that responds with greater stability, flexibility, and confidence when life becomes challenging.

14/01/2026

What’s new about Langeehans cells?

14/01/2026

Neuroscience research suggests that not all stress is harmful, and that moderate, manageable levels of stress can play an important role in maintaining cognitive function and mental adaptability. Scientists often distinguish between acute or moderate stress, which can be stimulating, and chronic or overwhelming stress, which is associated with negative health outcomes.

Studies in psychology and neuroscience describe moderate stress as a biological signal for adaptation. When the brain encounters challenges—such as learning a new skill, solving complex problems, or navigating unfamiliar situations—it activates systems involved in attention, motivation, and neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to form and reorganize neural connections. These processes support learning, memory formation, and cognitive flexibility.

Researchers frequently compare cognitive function to physical fitness. Just as muscles require resistance to maintain strength, the brain appears to benefit from intellectual and emotional challenges that demand effort and problem-solving. In the absence of such stimulation, some studies suggest that cognitive engagement may decline, potentially contributing to reduced motivation, slower information processing, and diminished decision-making over time.

At the same time, experts emphasize that balance is essential. Excessive or prolonged stress—especially when paired with lack of recovery, sleep deprivation, or limited social support—can overwhelm adaptive systems and impair brain health. The goal, according to researchers, is not to eliminate stress entirely, but to manage it effectively, allowing the brain to respond to challenges while also providing opportunities for recovery.

Overall, current evidence supports the view that appropriate levels of stress can promote resilience and growth, while chronic, unmanaged stress poses risks. Ongoing research continues to explore how different types and intensities of stress shape brain development, adaptability, and long-term cognitive health.

14/01/2026

When doctors examine what a skeleton looks like inside a person with severe obesity, the image reveals just how much strain excess weight places on the body. The bones themselves do not grow larger, but the surrounding layers of fat press heavily on joints, organs, and connective tissues. The spine bears the greatest burden, curving under increased pressure while the hips and knees endure force far beyond their natural design. Over time, this constant load accelerates wear on cartilage, increases inflammation, and raises the risk of chronic pain, arthritis, and limited mobility.
In an obese body, the skeleton must support not only weight but also shifting posture as the center of gravity changes. The ribcage expands outward to make room for surrounding fat tissue, which can restrict breathing and strain the diaphragm. Even the feet experience structural stress, flattening under the body’s mass and causing long term damage that affects balance and movement.
What surprises many people is how unchanged the skeleton remains despite the transformation of the body around it. Beneath the surface, the bones continue working silently to support every step, every breath, and every movement, often under conditions they were never meant to handle.
This understanding is not meant to shame but to highlight how deeply the body struggles when overloaded. It shows why gentle lifestyle changes, joint friendly movement, and supportive nutrition can dramatically improve comfort, mobility, and long term health.

13/01/2026

For decades, we were taught a simple idea: hundreds of millions of s***m race toward the egg, and the fastest one wins. But science has now discovered something even more remarkable—the egg plays a powerful role in choosing the s***m.

New research reveals that the egg doesn’t passively wait to be fertilized. Instead, it releases chemical signals called chemoattractants. These signals guide s***m toward it, but not all s***m respond equally. In fact, the egg seems to attract certain s***m more than others—suggesting a preference at the cellular level.

Published in journals like eLife and Nature Communications, studies show that this “molecular communication” varies depending on genetic compatibility. Eggs appear to favor s***m with the best match for producing a healthy embryo, rather than just the fastest swimmer. This biological selection process could even explain why some couples face unexplained infertility—if the egg and s***m aren’t a good match, fertilization might not happen despite both being healthy.

This changes everything. You weren’t simply the fastest s***m. You were chosen by the egg in a highly selective and intelligent biological interaction that prioritized compatibility and strength.

It’s a powerful reminder that life doesn’t begin with a race. It begins with selection. With intelligence. With connection. You were not just lucky—you were preferred by nature for a reason.

This discovery reshapes how we understand fertility, genetics, and even human identity.

12/01/2026

Putting this out there