Health Capsules

Itch is stranger than it seems, and its causes are debated. These explanations range from the skin's ecosystem of nerves and bacteria to the brain's dedicated itch circuits, how itching spreads socially like a contagion, and how scientists design experiments to trigger it. You can weigh what might finally break the itch-scratch cycle.

Omega-6 fats from seed oils are widely blamed for inflammation, but large human trials point the other way. The claim here is that linoleic acid, their main fat, does not raise inflammation and is linked to lower cardiovascular mortality, whatever the lab-bench mechanisms suggest. If the trial evidence convinces you, seed oils can stay in your kitchen without guilt.